The Crow & The Ghost: A Dystopian AU Simon Ghost Riley x Reader

Chapter Twenty-Four: Respite

        When you leave Headquarters, you're shocked at the sight of the light purple sky, the promise of the sun on horizon. You glance at the watch on your wrist and gasp at the time. It's just past five in the morning.
        You've been awake the whole night. You haven't slept in over twenty-four hours. You can't remember the last time you ate anything, drank anything. How the fuck were you still standing?
        Kieran had died before your eyes not even two hours ago. And now he was reborn, somewhere in the city lurking towards you, the humanity within your best friend already leaked out of him like his blood on the street.
        He had died in your arms, and he had woken up alone.
        Alone, alone, alone. That was the only way you had left him since Riley had come into your life.
        "Fuck," You sigh, pressing the heels of your hands to your eyes. You feel Riley place a hand on your back.
        "You all right?" He asks.
        "No." You reply, your voice flat as you suck in a breath, trying to stop the tears.
        "We need to eat something," Riley says. "I haven't eaten since yesterday. I might fucking pass out."
        You drop your hands. "I know," You say, looking up at him. He has a mask on again, one he had pulled out from a bulging pocket in his pants. "But Kieran..."
        "Kieran," Riley says, giving you a hard look. "Would not dare come around here in broad daylight." He keeps his voice low as someone passes by holding a briefcase in one hand and coffee in the other.
        You look around you and see people milling about—some people taking an early morning run, some already on their way to work, some just strolling with their dogs or a friend. Dawn and morning were the safest times to be out in the city—it was almost guaranteed that the Undead would be keeping to themselves. Once the sun passed its highest point in the sky and the day dwindled into late afternoon, the city would become more sparse, people staying inside as much as possible. There were those who braved downtown to try and be social, to enjoy the night, to try and combat the fear.
        Some of those people paid a steep price yesterday.
        You had been told in your history classes in school that it hadn't always been like this, that nighttime used to be a time for revelry and socialization. But you couldn't remember the last time you went out at night if it wasn't for something related to work. It just never seemed worth the risk.
        "I guess," You say, though you feel uneasy. "Hadn't you told Soap to stay inside?"
        Riley twists his mouth to one side at this. He takes his phone out of his pocket. "Perhaps I overreacted."
        "I don't think you did," You say, hugging yourself with your arms. You make eye contact with a woman pushing a baby stroller and you cast your eyes downwards, suddenly feeling shame.
When would Kieran's family be notified?
        "Maybe not," Riley says absently, his thumb tapping his phone's screen. "But they're more than capable of taking care of themselves this morning." He brings the phone to his ear as you look up at him.
        "They?"
        Riley smirks. "Keegan followed him home. Johnny," Riley takes a small step back and starts speaking to his friend.
        You look down at the sidewalk again. You're glad you looked away from the woman with the stroller, because you can see now that you're covered with blood. Your clothes were dried with it, your hands caked with it and flaking off in reds and blacks and browns. Your face was probably splattered with it still. Standing outside of Headquarters in tactical gear made it clear who you were, but you hardly believed that the woman wasn't shocked at your appearance. If you had seen her reaction...
        Riley puts his phone back in his pocket and steps back to you. "Johnny and Keegan will be all right. Do you want to go for breakfast somewhere?"
        You look up at Riley, your brow furrowed. "Breakfast? What about your apartment?"
        Riley's eyes soften as he places his hand on your cheek. "We'll be okay. I don't have much food, and I need to eat something. Will you be all right for that?"
        You give him a slow nod. Greasy food might help the never-ending turmoil that you feel roiling inside you.
        "Good." Riley says, and takes your hand, walking you down the street.